Bring out the blender and shakers, because we mixing up three of the best summertime cocktails! Wednesday, July 10th, is National Piña Colada Day, Thursday, July 11th, is National Mojito Day, and Friday, July 12th, is National Michelada Day.

The Piña Colada can be traced back to the Carbe Hilton in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, where barman Ramòn Marrero Perez first crafted the cocktail in 1954. A true taste of the Caribbean with its simple combination of coconut, pineapple, and rum. The perfect cocktail for sipping and relaxing.

Classic Piña Colada

Cool, creamy, fruity, and sweet.

Ingredients

• 2 oz. light rum
• 1 1/2 oz. cream of coconut
• 1 1/2 oz. pineapple juice
• 1/2 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice
• Pineapple wedge, for garnish
• Pineapple leaf, for garnish

Directions

Pour the rum, cream of coconut, pineapple juice, and lime juice into a shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously for 20-30 seconds.

Strain into a chilled Hurricane glass with pebble ice. Garnish with a pineapple wedge and pineapple leaf.

Servings 1

The Mojito may have been created in the 16th century when Francis Drake landed in Cuba to find the City of Gold. Seeking a remedy for scurvy, some of Drake’s crewmen were given ingredients to make tonic using mint, lime juice and sugar cane liquid. Shortly after, a cocktail called El Draque was created, which used similar ingredients to Drake’s tonic.

Classic Mojito

Refreshingly minty and slightly sweet.

Ingredients

• 3 mint leaves
• 1/2 oz. simple syrup
• 2 oz. white rum
• 3/4 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice
• Club soda, to top
• Mint sprig, for garnish
• Lime wheel, for garnish

Directions

Add the mint leaves and simple syrup to a shaker. Lightly muddle. Then add the white rum, lime juice and ice. Place the top on and briefly shake. Add ice to a highball glass and strain the drink over top. (Alternatively, you can begin with pebble ice in the highball glass, then add the ingredients to the glass and swizzle it all together.)

Top with club soda. Garnish with a mint sprig and lime wheel.

Servings 1

The Michelada is credited a man named Michel Ésper who was a member at Club Deportivo Postino in San Luis Potosí, Mexico around the 1960’s. Ésper asked for his beer to be served with lime, salt and ice in a cup called a chabela with a straw, as if it were a beer lemonade (limonada). Other members from the club began to ask for beer as “Michel’s lemonade”, over time the name was shortened to Michelada.

Classic Michelada

Tangy, bold, and refreshing with a touch of heat.

Ingredients

• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch Morton and Bassett cayenne pepper
• 1 lime wedge
• 1/2 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice
• 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• 2 dashes Tabasco sauce
• 1 pinch Morton and Bassett ground black pepper
• 1 pinch celery salt
• 1 bottle Mexican lager beer, chilled
• Lime wedge, for garnish

Directions

Pour equal parts of salt and cayenne pepper onto a plate or in a shallow bowl.

Rub the lime wedge along half the rim of a pint glass. Dip the rim into the salt-cayenne mixture.

Pour the lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, black pepper and celery salt into the pint glass. Pour in the Mexican lager. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Servings 1